Chapter 159: Purpose

To proceed, Ninth Prince recklessly spilled all of Prince Jian's scandalous secrets right in front of Kangxi. Eighth Prince clenched his fists in deep regret, knowing this was information he had gathered over a long period, carefully reserving it for a crucial moment. Who would have thought that Ninth Prince's lack of composure would cause him to blurt it all out right then and there? Eighth Prince cast a cautious glance toward Kangxi and, as expected, found the Emperor's expression thoroughly darkened.

However, Kangxi was not merely incensed by Prince Jian's misconduct at that moment; he was utterly baffled by Prince Zhuang's attitude. Just as Ninth Prince had said, Yan Yan's true lineage had been concealed far too deeply. After all, the world currently believed Yan Yan to be the illegitimate daughter of Wangda, of the Wanyan clan. Although bearing the reputation of an illegitimate child was hardly prestigious, Ninth Prince showed not the slightest sign of disdain toward her.

Furthermore, Kangxi himself had bestowed upon her the official title of Secondary Consort by imperial brush, in recognition of her saving his life. From this perspective, Yan Yan's life by Ninth Prince's side was entirely secure. Why, then, would Prince Zhuang risk exposing Yan Yan to the penalty of capital punishment just to drag the truth of this matter into the light?

Kangxi could not quite fathom it, which made his gaze toward the courtiers standing below all the more profound. Having spent a lifetime navigating the treacherous waters of politics, Kangxi refused to believe that Censor Li had stirred up this affair merely out of a devotion to preserving the purity of the imperial bloodline. Even less did he believe that Censor Li was acting without someone pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Yet, if the sole objective was to strike a blow against Ninth Prince, the mastermind possessed a truly ruthless heart. After all, with a single shift in the Emperor's thoughts, either Yan Yan or Ninth Prince's three young children could easily be sent to their graves.

Moreover, gazing upon Prince Zhuang's aged countenance, Kangxi could not help but feel a creeping chill. Just who was Prince Zhuang? He was a peerage-exempt Prince who had inherited his title in his youth, representing an unshakable pillar of power deeply rooted in the Great Qing Dynasty. For the mastermind behind the scenes to possess the clout to persuade Prince Zhuang into admitting to such a scandalous affair—such influence was staggering indeed.

At this thought, Kangxi's complexion grew even more sullen, his suspicious eyes sweeping over every single person present until Ninth Prince once again thrust out his neck and shouted, "Imperial Father, this matter is of the utmost gravity! Your son begs for an imperial decree to thoroughly investigate!"

Only then did Kangxi utter a low grunt. With a completely expressionless face, he commanded Liande Quan, "Summon Wanyan Wangda and Shumulu Yulin into the garden. Send men to escort the Yan woman and the three children into the garden; take the children to Imperial Noble Consort Yi's quarters, and bring the Yan woman here."

The moment Kangxi's words fell, Ninth Prince immediately blurted out, "Your son..."

"Stay right here! As an imperial prince, you ought to know what is permissible and what is forbidden!" Kangxi did not spare Ninth Prince a kind expression either. Knowing intimate details about Prince Jian's concubine having illicit affairs suggested Ninth Prince had hardly been a saint himself.

As Ninth Prince prepared to argue further, Tenth Prince hurriedly grabbed his arm and raised his voice, "Imperial Father, let your son lead the men to Rosy Cloud Garden. I guarantee I shall not bend the law for personal ties."

Kangxi glanced at Tenth Prince, then looked back at Ninth Prince, who wore a look as if he could devour someone whole, and finally consented: "Very well, you go."

Hearing this, Ninth Prince let out a heavy sigh of relief. Compared to ordinary imperial guards dispatched for the task, Ninth Prince trusted Tenth Prince implicitly. He gripped Tenth Prince's hand tightly, and Tenth Prince offered a reassuring smile in return. "Ninth Brother, rest assured. I will safely bring Sister-in-law here."

While Tenth Prince was speaking, Kangxi had been closely watching Prince Zhuang. He noticed a flash of profound struggle on Prince Zhuang's face, but the moment Prince Zhuang glanced toward Fourth Prince, his expression returned to a stoic calm. A jolt of alarm went through Kangxi's heart, and he turned his gaze to his fourth son. Fourth Prince stood quietly and silently behind Third Prince, just as he always did, maintaining an unhurried, composed, and almost indifferent demeanor.

Could the person standing behind Prince Zhuang actually be Fourth Prince? Kangxi narrowed his eyes slightly, subconsciously turning the jade thumb ring on his hand.

Meanwhile, Yan Yan remained entirely oblivious to the fact that she had been impeached in the grand hall, nor did she know that the wise and martial Emperor Kangxi had already cast suspicions upon everyone under the sun because of the mystery surrounding her birth. At that very moment, she was staring wide-eyed at the family of three before her, offering an awkward, apologetic smile. "Uncle and Aunt, is it? Truly rare visitors!"

Indeed, standing before Yan Yan were none other than Jin Suo from Sweet Well Village, Jin Suo's wife, Zhangshi, and their son, Jin Baozhu. As it turned out, after numerous Manchu men repeatedly visited Sweet Well Village, Jin Suo stubbornly convinced himself that it was his wife Zhangshi's visit over a year ago that had brought these troubles upon Yan Yan. In his anger, Jin Suo had engaged in a fierce quarrel with Zhangshi, one that nearly resulted in them setting their own house on fire.

Just then, their son Baozhu, who had been studying away from home, returned to Sweet Well Village. Seeing the state of his parents, he proposed taking a trip to the city. Jin Suo initially refused, but both Baozhu and Zhangshi persuaded him—first, out of fear that Yan Yan might be in danger without being forewarned, and second, because Zhangshi insisted she had to clear her name of injustice.

Whether it was a particular phrase that touched Jin Suo, the very next day he unexpectedly agreed to visit Yan Yan at Rosy Cloud Garden. However, instead of passing through the city proper, the family of three chose the mountain paths outside the city walls. This accidental detour caused them to bypass the surveillance of the mastermind entirely, allowing them to arrive at Rosy Cloud Garden completely unnoticed and request an audience with Yan Yan.

True to someone raised in a post-modern era devoid of rigid class distinctions, Yan Yan spared the three of them the embarrassment of having to plead their case through layers of servants, granting them an audience almost immediately. This led directly to the awkward scene currently unfolding.

Observing Jin Suo and Zhangshi, who appeared visibly nervous, Yan Yan forced another reassuring smile and gestured toward the seats. "Uncle, Aunt, please sit."

Jin Suo and Zhangshi glanced hesitantly at the chairs upholstered in white fox fur, lingering in hesitation. Jin Baozhu, however, appeared quite poised. He steadied Zhangshi and spoke in a low voice, "Sit down, Mother. It is quite all right."

At the sound of Jin Baozhu's voice, Yan Yan suddenly found it strangely familiar, though she could not quite place where she might have heard it before. Shaking her head, she concluded that she had simply had too much idle time on her hands lately, and promptly cast the suspicion aside.

"I wonder if Uncle and Aunt have come to see me for a specific reason?" Yan Yan asked courteously after Cui'er had served the tea. Both Cui'er and Mama He were standing by to keep her company. Mama He had felt from the start that Yan Yan was being far too casual in granting an audience to such people, and her expression had remained sour throughout.

Jin Suo and Zhangshi clearly sensed Mama He's oppressive aura and cast timid, anxious glances in her direction. Yan Yan smiled. "It is quite all right. Uncle and Aunt, please speak freely if there is something on your minds."

Only then did Zhangshi speak up hesitantly, "Over the past few days, several groups of Manchu men have entered our village, inquiring about Lady Shu. The master of the house was terrified this might bring trouble upon our eldest niece, so we felt we had to come and mention it to you."

A sudden wave of understanding washed over Yan Yan. "So that's it. It should be of no consequence. At worst, people will simply say I am an illegitimate daughter. It's fine, I don't mind."

Yan Yan spoke with total nonchalance, genuinely unbothered by the gossip. After all, tongues belonged to other people; how could she possibly control what they chose to say?

Yet, just as Yan Yan was about to invite Jin Suo and Zhangshi to stay for a couple of days, she spotted Wu Tong striding rapidly into the room, accompanied by Tenth Prince and a squad of imperial guards. At the same time, Jin Baozhu sprang abruptly to his feet, staring at Yan Yan with a look of fierce wariness.